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Top Asian News 12:17 p.m. GMT

Associated Press

120 Afghan forces, civilians killed in battle with Taliban

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Four days of ferocious fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban over a key provincial capital has claimed the lives of about 100 Afghan policemen and soldiers and at least 20 civilians, the defense minister said Monday. The staggering numbers provided by Gen. Tareq Shah Bahrami were the first official casualty toll since the Taliban launched a massive assault on Ghazni, the capital of Ghazni province, last Friday. The multi-pronged assault overwhelmed the city's defenses and allowed insurgents to capture several parts of it. It was a major show of force by the Taliban, who infiltrated deep into this strategic city barely 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the capital, Kabul.

The Latest: Scores killed fighting Taliban in Afghan city

Afghanistan's defense minister says the ongoing battle with the Taliban in the eastern city of Ghazni has killed about 100 policemen and soldiers, as well as at least 20 civilians. Gen. Tareq Shah Bahrami gave the toll at a press conference on Monday, the fourth day of fighting in Ghazni, the provincial capital of the province with the same name. He says the casualty figures are not yet definite and that the numbers might change. He did not offer a breakdown of the casualties but Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak says nearly 70 policemen are among those killed. The Taliban launched a massive attack on Ghazni on Friday, overwhelming the city's defenses and capturing parts of it.

AP Interview: Malaysia's Mahathir aims to scrap China deals

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia is looking to cancel multibillion-dollar Chinese-backed infrastructure projects signed by the previous scandal-tainted government as it digs itself out of debt, Malaysia's prime minister said Monday during an extensive interview in which he also blasted Myanmar's treatment of Rohingya Muslims as "grossly unjust." Mahathir Mohamad, at 93 the world's oldest prime minister, spoke with The Associated Press days before he heads to Beijing for his first visit since returning to power in a stunning electoral upset three months ago. Mahathir said he wants to maintain good relations with China and welcomes its investment, so long as the projects benefit Malaysia.

Malaysia PM on China, Rohingya, Singapore, graft and sea row

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad commented on lopsided China-backed projects, treatment of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, the South China Sea furor, a water deal with Singapore and the country's financial mess in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. Here are excerpts: ___ AX CHINA-BACKED PROJECTS Days before heading to Beijing for his first visit since his stunning electoral victory three months ago, Mahathir said Malaysia doesn't need a Chinese-backed $20 billion East Coast Rail Link and two energy pipelines worth $2.3 billion. The projects have been suspended pending renegotiation. "We don't think they are viable. So if we can, we would like to just drop the projects," Mahathir said.

China to UN panel: No arbitrary detention in Uighur region

BERLIN (AP) — China insisted Monday there is no "arbitrary detention" and there are no "re-education centers" in its western Xinjiang region, rejecting concerns raised by a U.N. human rights committee that more than 1 million ethnic Uighurs may be being held in camps. Beijing was responding to questions raised by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Geneva. A committee member last week cited estimates that over 1 million people in China from the country's Uighur and other Muslim minorities are being held in "counter-extremism centers" and another 2 million have been forced into "re-education camps." China's delegation told the panel that "there is no arbitrary detention ...

Rival Korea leaders to meet in Pyongyang in September

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The rival Koreas announced Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet in Pyongyang sometime in September, while their envoys also discussed Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament efforts and international sanctions. The push for what would be the leaders' third summit since April comes amid renewed worries surrounding a nuclear standoff between Washington and Pyongyang. The announcement released after nearly two hours of talks led by the rivals' chiefs for inter-Korean affairs was remarkably thin on details. In a three-sentence joint statement, the two sides did not mention an exact date for the summit and provided no details on how to implement past agreements.

Now with power to long rule China, Xi beset by challenges

BEIJING (AP) — As China's leaders gather for their annual Yellow Sea retreat, the country's political waters are looking choppy. Chinese President and ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping is beset by economic, foreign policy and domestic political challenges just months after clearing his way to rule for as long as he wants as China's most dominant leader since Mao Zedong. Mounting criticism of the Xi administration's policies has exposed the risks he faces from amassing so much power: He's made himself a natural target for blame. "Having concentrated power, Xi is responsible for all policy setbacks and policy failures," said Joseph Cheng, a retired City University of Hong Kong professor and long-time observer of Chinese politics.

Death toll from quake that hit Indonesian island passes 430

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The death toll from the earthquake that rocked the Indonesian island of Lombok a week ago has passed 430 and the government is estimating economic losses will exceed several hundred million dollars. The national disaster agency said Monday the Aug. 5 quake killed 436 people, most of whom died in collapsing buildings. It said damage to homes, infrastructure and other property is at least 5 trillion rupiah ($342 million), calling that a temporary figure that will rise as more assessments are made. The agency said rebuilding will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The magnitude 7.0 quake flattened thousands of homes and according to the disaster agency's latest estimate has displaced about 350,000 people.

China newspaper defends Xinjiang Muslim crackdown

BEIJING (AP) — China's campaign of pressure against the country's Uighur Muslim minority has prevented the far-northwestern region of Xinjiang from "becoming 'China'sSyria' or 'China'sLibya,'" an official Communist Party newspaper said Monday. The Global Times editorial came after a U.N. anti-discrimination committee raised concerns Friday over China's treatment of Uighurs, citing reports of mass detentions that is said "resembles a massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy." Following attacks by radical Muslim separatists, hundreds of thousands of members of the Uighur and Kazakh Muslim minorities in Xinjiang have been arbitrarily detained in indoctrination camps where they are forced to denounce Islam and profess loyalty to the party.

Pakistan's newly elected parliament meets for the 1st time

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's newly elected parliament convened Monday for the first time since last month's general elections that saw the party of former cricket star turned politician Imran Khan win most seats, propelling him toward the post of the country's next prime minister. The lawmakers were sworn in at a brief ceremony in the 342-seat National Assembly, the decision-making lower house of parliament. Later on Monday, fireworks were to mark the eve of Pakistan'sIndependence Day. The parliament is to elect a speaker and his deputy on Wednesday and vote on the prime minister the following day. The swearing-in ceremony for the prime minister is due Saturday.